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Water Current, Volume 35, No. 1, February 2003

Water Current Newsletter

Plans Taking Shape for Summer Tour; Geologists to Meet In Lincoln
Meet the Faculty
New Analytic Equipment Increases Water Sciences Lab Capabilities
Effects of Heavy Sedimentation on Rainwater Basin Wetland Hydrology
Students Get Their Feet Wet at Audubon Spring Creek Prairie
Water News Briefs
Free Water and Natural Resources Lectures Continue at UNL

White River Watershed Preliminary Habitat Assessment, Richard Rediske, Matt Cooper, Don Uzarski, Rod Denning, Dr. Thomas M. Burton

Scientific Technical Reports

In this project, a preliminary assessment of habitats in the White River watershed was conducted. Land cover and land use were evaluated using available remote sensing data to provide an assessment of current conditions and an analysis of significant change over a 20 year period (1978 to 1992/1997/1998). Investigations of water and habitat quality were also conducted in White Lake, the drowned rivermouth wetland, and selected streams and wetlands in the tributaries and branches of the White River. The report includes significant findings and recommendations.

Enterobius Vermicularis: Ancient Dna From North And South American Human Coprolites, Alena M. Iñiguez, Karl J. Reinhard, Adauto Araújo, Luiz F. Ferreira, Ana Carolina P. Vicente

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A molecular paleoparasitological diagnostic approach was developed for Enterobius vermicularis. Ancient DNA was extracted from 27 coprolites from archaeological sites in Chile and USA. Enzymatic amplification of human mtDNA sequences confirmed the human origin. We designed primers specific to the E. vermicularis 5S ribosomal RNA spacer region and they allowed reproducible polymerase chain reaction identification of ancient material. We suggested that the paleoparasitological microscopic identification could accompany molecular diagnosis, which also opens the possibility of sequence analysis to understand parasite-host evolution.

Parasitism, The Diversity Of Life, And Paleoparasitology, Adauto Araújo, Ana M. Jansen, Françoise Bouchet, Karl J. Reinhard, Luiz F. Ferreira

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The parasite-host-environment system is dynamic, with several points of equilibrium. This makes it difficult to trace the thresholds between benefit and damage, and therefore, the definitions of commensalism, mutualism, and symbiosis become worthless. Therefore, the same concept of parasitism may encompass commensalism, mutualism, and symbiosis. Parasitism is essential for life. Life emerged as a consequence of parasitism at the molecular level, and intracellular parasitism created evolutive events that allowed species to diversify. An ecological and evolutive approach to the study of parasitism is presented here. Studies of the origin and evolution of parasitism have new perspectives with the development of …

Temporal Genetic Variation In A Coyote (Canis Latrans) Population Experiencing High Turnover, Christen Lenney William, Karen Blejwas, John J. Johnston, Michael M. Jaeger

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are mobile, adaptable canids found in a wide range of habitats across North America, with range extensions into previously unoccupied areas in the western and eastern United States. Although long-distance dispersal capabilities in both sexes (Harrison 1992) and relatively large proportions of transient coyotes that do not exhibit fidelity to a single territory (typically 13–34% of a population— Andelt 1985; Windberg and Knowlton 1988) suggest that coyotes exist as a panmictic population, other aspects of coyote behavior may increase the likelihood of local population structure.

Reconsidering Restoration, Brian Hoffner

Theses

What does the process of ecological restoration actually produce? For some restoring nature is a point of no contention. By replacing ecosystems that have been damaged by human interference, humans are taking proper responsibility for their actions. However, the environmental ethics community is all but in agreement over humans' obligations to damaged ecosystems. Some in the field claim that it is human's responsibility to perform "wild gardening", through restorations, to "our" environments. While other philosophers insist that these acts produce "faked nature".

This thesis offers a compromise vision of the meaning of restoration. The author uses the concept of Autonomous …

Ineffectiveness Of Sulfur-Based Odors As Nesting Deterrents Against European Starlings, Randolph J. White, Bradley F. Blackwell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sulfurous volatiles have been shown to elicit avoidance behavior by snow geese (Cben caerulescens Linnaeus), possibly because of their association with potentially toxic levels of selenium in some plant species. We questioned whether an avoidance response to sulfur and sulfur-based products might be exhibited by other avian species, specifically European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris L) and whether the behavior might extend beyond the feeding context (that is, negatively affecting nesting). The European starling is an omnivorous species with a well-developed olfactory capability and can distinguish between plant volatiles when selecting nest material and, therefore, could possibly detect …

Determination Of 4,4'-Dinitrocarbanilide (Dnc), A Component Of Nicarbazin, In Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis) Eggshells Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, Randal S. Stahl, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Teresa L. Buettgenbach, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A method was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography to assay 4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC), the active ingredient in Nicarbazin, in eggshells collected from Canada geese fed a formulated feed fortified with Nicarbazin at doses of 0, 125, 250, and 500 μg/g. The method was developed using chicken eggshells fortified with DNC. The method was used to quantify DNC in both the shell-associated membranes and the calcified shell extracellular matrix. These values were compared to those obtained for a composite sample consisting of both the membranes and the calcified shell extracellular matrix. The validated method was used to quantify DNC in eggshells from …

A General Model For Predicting Brown Tree Snake Capture Rates, Richard M. Engeman, N. Paige Groninger, Daniel S. Vice

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The inadvertent introduction of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) to Guam has resulted in the extirpation of most of the island’s native terrestrial vertebrates, has presented a health hazard to small children, and also has produced economic problems. Trapping around ports and other cargo staging areas is central to a program designed to deter dispersal of the species. Sequential trapping of smaller plots is also being used to clear larger areas of snakes in preparation for endangered species reintroductions. Traps and trapping personnel are limited resources, which places a premium on the ability to plan the deployment …

A Ccwhc Technical Bulletin: Drug Residues In Wild Meat – Addressing A Public Health Concern, Marc Cattet

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

Veterinary drugs play a valuable role in wildlife management and research. They are used widely for a variety of reasons, in particular, the capture and restraint of wild animals (Table 1). However, the availability and use of veterinary drugs is threatened if government regulations or the public trust are violated. Drug residues in wildlife are an important public health concern, especially for those who consume wild meat. Although the likelihood of consuming meat from a wild animal administered drug shortly before death is small, wildlife personnel (conservation officers, park wardens, biologists, veterinarians, etc.) are still confronted from time to time …

An Economic Assessment Of The Potential For Predator Management To Benefit Puerto Rican Parrots, Richard M. Engeman, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Felipe Cano, Bernice Constantin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Puerto Rican parrot is one of the ten most endangered birds in the world, with the only wild population comprised of 30-40 birds. Predation has been identified as one of the factors limiting Puerto Rican parrot productivity in the wild, and the loss of a very few birds can have a great impact on the species. Management of red-tailed hawks, and black rats, feral cats and Indian mongooses, as well as further management of pearly-eyed thrashers is potentially beneficial to the parrot population. Because funding for the recovery of this rare species is finite, an analytical examination of the …

Prevalence And Economic Value Of Feral Swine Damage To Native Habitat In Three Florida State Parks, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Bernice Constantin, John Woolard, Mark Nelson, Daniel Griffin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) adversely affect the environment in many of the places where they have been introduced. Such is the case in Florida, but quantification and economic evaluation of the damage can provide objective bases for developing strategies to protect habitats. Swine damage to native wet pine-flatwoods at three state parks in Florida was monitored from winter 2002 to winter 2003. Economic valuations of damage were based on the US dollar amounts that wetland regulators have allowed permit applicants to spend in attempts to replace lost resources. The parks had different swine management histories and the damage …

The History Of Community Gardens In New York City: The Role Of Urban Agriculture And Green Roofs In Addressing Environmental Racism, Rosamarie Ridge

Student Theses 2001-2013

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Towards A Unified Approach For Remote Estimation Of Chlorophyll-A In Both Terrestrial Vegetation And Turbid Productive Waters, Giorgio Dall'olmo, Anatoly Gitelson, Donald C. Rundquist

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In this study we tested the applicability of a method, originally developed for terrestrial plant leaves, to retrieve chlorophyll-a concentrations from reflectance spectra of turbid productive waters. We tuned the conceptual model according to the optical characteristics of the aquatic medium, and accurately predicted chlorophyll-a concentrations in water bodies over a wide range of optical conditions. Our results provide evidence that this technique may be considered as a general solution, independent of the type of medium, for assessing chlorophyll concentration in optically deep media using remotely sensed data.

Survival Rates And Recovery Distributions Of Canada Geese Banded In Nebraska, Larkin A. Powell, Mark Vrtiska, Nick Lyman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

We analyzed banding and recovery data for Canada geese (Branta canadensis) banded in Nebraska during 1990–2000. Survival rates were lower during 1996–2000 (adult: 0.688, SE = 0.016; juvenile: 0.611, SE = 0.029), than 1990–1995 (adult: 0.727, SE = 0.011; juvenile: 0.639, SE = 0.024). Average juvenile-to-adult ratio from banding data was 0.834 (SD = 0.485), resulting in an annual population growth rate (λ) estimate for 1990–1995 of 0.995 (95% CI = 0.021), and 0.922 (0.018) for 1996–2000. Our recovery analysis suggests that 67% of geese banded in Nebraska are shot in Nebraska. Over 30% of both juvenile and adult recoveries …

Urban Canada Geese In Georgia: Assessing A Golf Course Survey And A Nuisance Relocation Program, Larkin A. Powell, Michael J. Conroy, Kipling S. Balkcom, Joe Caudell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Nuisance complaints about Canada geese (Branta canadensis), have risen in recent years. In Georgia, managers have responded by relocating some nuisance geese to rural areas. During 1993–1996, we used band recoveries of relocated geese to determine the efficacy of relocation as a management strategy. We also used data from a post-card survey of golf courses to monitor the urban subpopulation of Canada geese in Georgia during 1998–2001. Flocks considered by golf course superintendents to be a nuisance were larger (1998: 48.8 geese, 1999: 71.5, 2000: 73.2, 2001: 67.2) than nonnuisance flocks (1998: 13.1 geese, 1999: 16.7, 2000: 25.8, 2001: 18.1). …

Using Earth Science Research Projects To Develop Collaboration Between Scientists At A Research University And K-12 Educators: Insights For Future Efforts, David C. Gosselin, Richard Levy, Ronald J. Bonnstetter

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The main goal of this pilot project was to improve collaboration between scientists at a large research university and K-12 educators. By involving scientists and K-12 educators in Earth systems research, we hoped to improve scientists’ awareness of current pedagogy and classroom practices, improve K-12 teachers understanding of actual scientific research and expose each group to the other’s unique culture. Eight research teams (comprising a scientist, pre-service teacher and an in-service teacher) participated in a four-week research experience, attended three half-day workshops, and participated in focus group interviews. This experience reinforced K-12 teachers views that scientific inquiry must be integrated …

Environmental Exposures In The U.S. Electric Utility Industry, Robert Repetto, James Henderson

Yale School of the Environment Publications Series

Quantitative analysis of 47 U.S. electric utilities’ environmental exposures to impending air quality and climate policies shows potentially material and highly differentiated financial impacts. For many companies, the minimized compliance costs of a four-pollutant cap-and-trade regulatory regime would not necessarily exceed those of a three-pollutant regime that omitted controls on carbon dioxide emissions.Fragmented regulatory requirements would have the highest compliance costs. The companies studied vary considerably in the adequacy of their financial reporting of these potential impacts. Greater transparency would benefit investors and the most favorably positioned companies.

Conservation And Restoration Of Pine Forest Genetic Resources In México, C. Sáenz-Romero, Amy E. Snively, R. Lindig-Cisneros

Student Published Works

Deforestation rates in México are about 670,000 ha/year. This threatens the richness of forest genetic resources in México, causing the disappearance of locally adapted populations and rare and endangered pine species. México is one of the six megadiverse countries in the world, with half of the world’s Pinus species. Pinus is one of the most economically and ecologically important forest genera in México. We suggest that delineation of seed zones and the establishment of a network of Forest Genetic Resource Conservation Units (FGRCUs), linked with forest management and ecological restoration programs will protect this valuable resource. We estimate that FGRCUs …

The Salton Sea Wetlands: A Guidebook Of Curriculum Based Lessons, Etta Margo Ligman-Mccormick

Theses Digitization Project

Using Coachella Valley's Salton Sea ecosystem as a model, several multidisciplinary wetland activities for grades three to six were developed. A resource guide for educators is included.

Guiding Growth: A Survey Of Tax Incentives, New England Environmental Finance Center, Muskie School Of Public Service

Legislation

Current development patterns and increased tax pressures in local municipalities combine to harm both Maine’s natural resources and its quality of life. Previous initiatives such as the implementation of zoning laws did not fully result in the desired outcomes. Zoning laws were often too flexible and often did not resist market and political pressures to change zoning regulations to allow development with possible economic growth. A sound taxation system or fee structure may be the solution to slow down development in natural areas and direct it towards areas appropriate for growth.

To protect Maine’s natural resources more successfully from future …

Natural Resource Management Issues In The Agricultural Zone Of Western Australia : South West Region, B Nicholas, Paul Galloway, Peter J. Tille, Angela Stuart-Street, Heather M. Percy

Resource management technical reports

Provides and analysis of current pressures on agricultural resources of the South West region of Western Australia. Differing ranges of risks are shown for different degradation issues because of various impacts. Each natural resource management issues covers nature and extent of susceptibility, impacts on agriculture and the environment, management options and effectiveness of management options.

Land Health Assessment For The Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area, U.S. Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Land Management, Grand Junction Field Office, Grand Junction, Colorado

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

The Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area (CCNCA) is located about 7 miles west of Grand Junction, Colorado. The CCNCA includes rolling saltbush-covered hills, pinyon-junpier and sagebrush-covered mesas, a 24-mile corridor along the Colorado River through Horsethief and Ruby Canyons, and over 70,000 acres of sheer-sided, red-rock canyons, natural arches, caves and alcoves. The 75,550-acre Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness comprises the heart of the CCNCA, with another 5,200 acres stretching into Utah.

The CCNCA was given a high priority for land health assessment, a valuable tool in developing the CCNCA Resource Management Plan (RMP).

The Utah Trails Initiative: Partnerships, Research, And Action, Steven W. Burr, Dale J. Blahna, Douglas K. Reiter, Michael Butkus

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

As a result of changing social values regarding the development and use of our natural resources, more and more emphasis is being placed on the vale of amenity resources, concerning scenery and aesthetics, opportunities for a diversity of recreation experiences, providing habitat for wildlife, and preserving biological diversity (Burr & Blahna, 2000; Siehl, 1990). Many people enjoy a variety of trail-based activities as a source of their recreation. With all their attributes and varieties of usage, trails and pathways are high priorities for many people, including the citizens of Utah. Trails provide access to Utah's outstanding public lands, opportunities for …

Southeastern U.S. Vegetation Response To Enso Events (1989–1999), Albert J. Peters, Lei Ji, Elizabeth A. Walter-Shea

Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies: Publications

El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is considered one of the most powerful forces driving anomalous global weather patterns. Large-scale seasonal precipitation and temperature changes influenced by ENSO have been examined in many areas of the world. The southeastern United States is one of the regions affected by ENSO events. In this study, remote sensing detection of vegetation response to ENSO phases is demonstrated with one-kilometer biweekly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data (1989–1999) derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). The impacts of three ENSO phases, cold, warm and neutral, on vegetation were analyzed with a focus on two …

Action Education In Land Use Decisions: Student Views On Urbanization And Farmland Loss, Mindi Schneider, Charles A. Francis, Dick Esseks

CARI Extension and Education Materials for Sustainable Agriculture

Loss of prime farmland is a serious concern in the United States and around the globe. With rapid urban population increases, the activities and perceived needs of concentrated groups of people result in the swallowing of some of the most fertile lands in this country. Today we have just under 2 acres of productive farmland per person in the United States. Given the current population growth rate due to births and immigration, plus the present rate of farmland loss, World Watch Institute estimates that we will have about 0.6 acres or one-third as much farmland available per person by 2055--a …

Tws Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter: Spring 2003 – Volume 10(1)

TWS Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter

Forward; Recent Working Group Activities; Note From The Treasurer; Note From The Editor; Announcements; Application For Membership / The Wildlife Society

Tws Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter: Vol. 10, Issue 2 Fall 2003

TWS Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter

Forward ; Working Group Annual Meeting Minutes ; 2003 Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Board Member Ballot; News And Announcements; Executive Board Candidates; Application For Membership / The Wildlife Society

Avhrr-Based Spectral Vegetation Index For Quantitative Assessment Of Vegetation State And Productivity: Calibration And Validation, Felix Kogan, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Edige Zakarin, Lev Spivak, Lubov Lebed

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The goal of the work was to estimate, quantitatively, vegetation state and productivity using AVHRR-based Vegetation Condition Index (VCI). The VCI algorithm includes application of post-launch calibration to visible channels, calculation of NDVI from channels’ reflectance, removal of high-frequency noise from NDVI’s annual time series, stratification of ecosystem resources, and separation of ecosystem and weather components in the NDVI value. The weather component was calculated by normalizing the NDVI to the difference of the extreme NDVI fluctuations (maximum and minimum), derived from multi-year data for each week and land pixel. The VCI was compared with wheat density measured in Kazakhstan. …

Coyote-Activated Frightening Devices For Reducing Sheep Predation On Open Range, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle, Steve Moyles

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Domestic sheep ranching is an important agricultural industry in the United States and coyote (Canis latrans) depredation on lambs and ewes continues to challenge ranchers and agencies responsible for protecting sheep. Lethal methods used in controlling coyote depredation include aerial gunning, toxicants, trapping, and calling and shooting. Nonlethal methods include frightening devices, fences, livestock protection animals, and stringent husbandry practices. Ranchers and agencies responsible for controlling coyote depredation need frightening devices that are more effective than those currently available. We describe a field evaluation of 2 animal-activated frightening devices: an acoustic device and an acoustic device with a …